King’s Gambit
Coffee Co.
A Breville Barista Express Impress with the grinder built in, a scale, a steaming pitcher, glasses to show off the shot and minerals made for espresso machines. Your first real espresso bar in one footprint. Ready to go further? Fellow's Espresso Series 1 with an Opus 2 grinder is the next step, about $1,560.
For latte drinkers ready to make them at home without a separate grinder on the counter.
In the setup
Rough total About $950
Buy it piece by piece and skip what you already own. Prices are approximate and set by each brand.
2 of 5 pieces are in our shop. Add them in one go; the rest are linked to the brand on each card.
About $800
Grinder and espresso machine in one footprint, with assisted tamping. A classic first upgrade that burns through beans.
About $59
A cheap scale with a built-in timer. Weighing coffee and water is the fastest way to stop guessing.
Bronze
$20.00
A plain 20 oz steel pitcher with measurement lines. Milk drinks on an entry machine without spending much.
About $45
Clear glass shows off crema and layers. Sold in pairs so nobody drinks out of the odd one.
Gold
$18.00
Minerals made for espresso machines, skipping the chlorides that can damage boilers. Easier on your machine.
An Ascaso Dream PID in the color that suits your kitchen, a Mahlkönig X54 that grinds for espresso and filter, a 58 mm beech tamper, a steaming pitcher, machine cleaner and minerals made for espresso machines. Seven colors, each with a walnut-handled 58 mm portafilter.
A LELIT Bianca V3 with flow control, a Mahlkönig X64 SD single-dose grinder, a ratio-aware scale, a PUQ automatic puck press and the rest of the prep kit. Brew and steam at the same time, shot after shot. Prefer a hopper and stored grind times? Mahlkönig's X54 swaps right in.
A Fellow Espresso Series 1 with pressure profiling and a 58 mm group, a Mahlkönig X64 SD single-dose grinder with 64 mm flat burrs and low retention, so switching to decaf after dinner is easy, and the full prep kit: Fellow's espresso bundle (dosing funnel, WDT, knock box, tamping mat), a Mahlkönig beech tamper, a steaming pitcher, espresso machine cleaner and minerals made for espresso machines. This is where home espresso gets serious.